Inscription

on table at right: CLIO

Provenance

A photograph of c. 1862 in the photographic archive of the Victoria and Albert Museum, neg. 3600, shows that the dish was at that time in the collection of Alexander Barker. Mrs. Benzon, in 1876.[1] "Mr. Natorp," by 1887. Sir Frances Beaufort Palmer, London, by 1910.[2] ("Goldschmidt");[3] purchased February 1913 by Peter A.B. Widener, Elkins Park, Pennsylvania; inheritance from Estate of Peter A.B. Widener by gift through power of appointment of Joseph E. Widener, Elkins Park; gift 1942 to NGA.

[1] Timothy H. Wilson, author of the NGA systematic catalogue entry published in 1993, provided this additional information in August 2000. Mrs. Benzon lent the dish to an exhibition at Wrexham that opened 22 July 1876.

[2] The dish corresponds exactly to the description of the one exhibited at the Burlington Fine Arts Club exhibitions in 1887 and 1910 by "Mr. Natorp" and Sir Francis Beaufort Palmer respectively, and is almost certainly the same piece.

Technical Summary

Earthenware, covered front and back with a pinkish white glaze, slightly pitted on the back. The painting is in blue, green, yellow, orange brown, gray, near black, and white, with golden-brown and red luster. The dish has been broken and restored with very extensive overpaint front and back, especially down the tree trunk on the left, along the lower center, and at the edge at three o'clock. The rim is almost entirely repainted. The luster is worn. No kiln-support marks are visible; they are probably covered by restorations.